On December 30, 2006, former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging in Baghdad after being convicted of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court. The United States had led the 2003 invasion of Iraq that toppled his government, and U.S. forces captured him later that year. His trial focused on the killing of Iraqi civilians in Dujail following a failed assassination attempt against him in 1982.
Supporters of the execution argued that it provided justice for victims of his regime. Critics questioned the fairness of the proceedings and worried that the execution might deepen sectarian divisions in Iraq. The event marked a dramatic end to the rule of a leader who had dominated Iraqi politics for decades and had been a central figure in U.S. foreign policy debates.
